Road-machine.



JLH KELLER.

ROAD MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1917.

1L, 53 18% Patented-Jan. 8,1918.

5 SHEETSSHEET 1..

1 5 N 9v 7 N I WEJJGJ/ I fizz/1212751 jam m; wm/i /jzzw .I. H. KELLER.

ROAD MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. I917.

LQ53JLSQQ Patented Jan. 8,1918.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ill

&

J. H. KELLER.

ROAD MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14.x911.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

s SHEBTSSHEET 3.

L'H. KELLER.

ROAD MACHINE.

APPLICATIQN FILED MAR. 14, 1911.

Patented Ham.

'J. H. KELLER,

ROAD MACIHNE. APPLICATION FILED WAR. 1 191.

fztemfi 5 QHEETS-SEEET 5:

JOHN HENRY KELLER, OF IOWA CITY, IOWA.

ROAD-MACHIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. a, 11918.

Application filed March 14., 1917. 1 Serial No. 154,651.

To (iii whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY KELLER, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Iowa City, in the county of Johnson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in road machines and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention relates more especially to improvements in a road machine of the kind described and shown in my former Patent No. 1,032,684, granted July 16, 1912.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine of the kind described, of more simple while still of practical and rigid construction. Another object is to provide a machine capable of making a wide road, and yet one which is flexible in that it may be used to make narrower roads or to make broader roads, with the cross section varying in inclination at the sides, to answer the numerous different requirements in road making.

The various advantages and the novel features of the improved machine will appear more definitely as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a view in top plan elevation of my improved road machine.

Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal, vertical section through the same, the plane of said section being indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal, vertical, detail section through the machine, on an enlarged scale, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary view in top plan elevation, also on an enlarged scale, of the central part of my improved road machine and illustrates the location and arrangement of the various operating and control members of the machine.

Fig. 5 represents a detail plan elevation of that part of the machine adjacent the junction of one of the wing sections with the front end of the associated, combined scraper and grader bar.

Fig. 6 represents a detail, vertical section through that part of the machineshown in Fig. 5, the plane of said section being indi cated by the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 represents a detail horizontal plan view at the junction of the front and rear, combined scraper and grader bars, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 represents a detail, vertical sectional view illustrating a door forming part of my improved road machine, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 represents a vertical section through the door shown in Fig. 8, the plane of said section being indicated by the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 represents a detail, vertical section through the machine in a plane indicated by the line 1010 of Fig. 4..

Fig. 11 represents a detail, vertical section through a part of one of the wing sections, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 111l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 12 represents a detail, vertical section through another part of said wing section, the plane of said section being indicated by the line 12-12 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 13 indicates a cross section of a finished road, showing the contour thereof as made byniy improved road machine.

The improved machine of the present application, as in the case of the machine described in my former patent referred to above, consists essentially of a frame mounted on wheels; of a pair of forward grader bars which depend from said frame and converge rearwardly from the sides of the frame toward its middle; and of a pair of rear grader bars which also depend from the frame and which diverge from the middle of the machine toward its sides,each rear grader bar in the preferred construction, being in line with a forward grader bar, which is on. the opposite side of the machine.

Gates are provided at the inner ends of the forward grader bars to permit the road material, which has been removed and scraped up by said bars, to pass to the rear grader bars which work over it and direct ittoward the sides of the road. The machine has wing sections which each carry depending grader bar sections, one of which acts to form a prolongation of a forward sections of which they are prolongations or extensions. In addition, the said sections are preferably made so as to be capable of dismantlement when it is desired to diminish the width of the machine, as when passing under or over bridges which have narrowly spaced abutments, piers, or trusses, or when making a road of narrow width.

Referring now more particularly to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings :--15 indicates the main body of the machine, and 16, 16, the two wing sections. The said main body is mounted on a frame comprising parallel, spaced, longitudinally extending side members 17, 17, and four transverse members rigidly connected to said side members, namely :a front member 18, a rear member 19, and two intermediate members 20, 20. The side members 17 are preferably I-beams, and the transverse members are inverted T-beams. The intermediate, transverse members 20 are attached to the tops of the I-bcams 17, while the front and rear members 18 and 19 are attached to the bottom flanges of said I- beams. This construction provides a rigid, substantially rectangular frame.

The frame is carried on a pair of spaced, rear wheels 21, 21, and a pair of spaced, front wheels 22, 22. Each rear wheel is journaled in a forked arm 23 which is pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin 24 attached to the rear frame member 19, and which is pivotally connected at its forward end by links 25 to rock arms 26 fixed on a shaft 27, that is rotatively mounted on the top of the rear, intermediate, transverse bar 20. Manifestly by the construction described, each rearwheel 21 may be independently raised or lowered, by means of its rock shaft 27, the rotation of which in one direction or the other, will act to swing the forked arm 23 in a vertical plane on its pivot pin 24. The peripheral band of each rear wheel 21 is provided with a radially extending rib or flange 21 which act to trac i said wheel and maintain it in a straight path. The two rear wheels are held apart in proper spaced relation by means of a rod 28 which connects the forks in which said wheels are j ournaled. Said rod is made preferably in two parts connected by a thimble or sleeve 28, so as to allow for any slight torsion or twisting movement that there may occur between the two rear forks.

The front wheels 22 are caster wheels, being mounted in caster frames 29. Said caster frames are pivotally mounted in a familiar manner, each at the front end of a bar, (preferably an I-beam) 30. Said bar is pivoted on a pin 31.carried by the forward, transverse bar 18 of the frame, and is connected at its rear end by links 32 to rock arms 33 fixed to a rock shaft 34 rotatively mounted on the front intermediate bar 20. The construction in this respect is the same as in the case of the rear wheels. The caster frame29 has a vertical stud 2'9 which is rotatively mounted in any convenientway, at the end of the I-beam 30. Thus the front wheels are free to swing from side to side as a caster. Said wheels have fiat rims and no track flange, as in the case of the rear wheels.

The rock shafts 27 and 34 terminate some what short of the median line of the frame and are there provided with upright rock arms. 27 indicates the rock arms attached to the shafts 27, and 34 indicates the rock arms attachedto the shafts 34. In each case, the rock arm consists of a pair of parallel, spaced, upright bars 35, 35, rigidly attached to the associated rock shaft and connected together at their ends by an interposed block 36. 37 indicates a long rod having a right and left screw thread, one of said screw threads being engaged in the block 36 of a forward rock shaft 34, and the other being engaged in the block 36 of a rear rock shaft 27 A. crank arm 38 is fixed to the rear end of the rod 37 for rotating it.

From the construction described, it will be manifest that a rotation of the rod 37 in one direction (see Fig. 4), to the right as illustrated herein, will act to rock the forward'rock shaft in a forward direction, and the rearward rock shaft in a rearward direction, and (as will be clear from an examination of Fig. 2) will result in a depression of the bars or arms 30 and 23, so as to lift the front and rear wheels on that side of the machine. A movement of the crank arm 38 in. the opposite direction, that is to say, toward the left, will produce an opposite movement of the two shafts and consequently, a depression of the said wheels.

The front ends of the wheel beams 30 are connected together by means of a two-part channel bar 40. This channel bar prevents transverse spreading apart of the front ends of said beams 30, and maintains the caster wheels 22 in their proper alined position with respectto the rear wheels 21. The channel bar 40 is provided at its middle, with a torsion sleeve 0r thimble 40 which permits of a limited, independent, torsional movement between the two parts of the bar 40 without breakage.

Passing now to a description of the grader bars, by means of which the machine performs its intended function :45, 46, 47 and 48 indicate four grader bars in the form of edgewise-arranged, channel irons, which extend diagonally of the machine frame. The front grader bars and 4.6 extend from themiddle of the main frame 15 to the forward ends of the side frame members 17, where they are suitably attached to the bot tom side thereof. The rear grader bars 47 and 48 extend from the middle of the frame tothe rear ends of said side frame members, and are attached thereto in a similar manner. To the lower or bottom, edges of the said front and rear bars 45 to 48 inclusive, are fixed scraping blades 45 to 48 respectively, said scraping blades being preferably of plow steel. The operating edges of said grader bars located on one side of theframe, are in a plane slightly inclined to the horizontal, with their inner ends higher than their outer ends, and the bottom edges of the rear grader bars 47 and 48 are simi larly arranged to the horizontal, in a direction opposite to the inclination of the plane of the bottom edges of the bars 45 and 46. The inner, adjoining ends of the rear grader bars 47 and i8, are rigidly connected together by an upright angle bar 50 (see Fig. 7).

The front grader bars 45 and 46 terminate short of the adjoining ends of the rear grader bars 47 and 48, to provide gateways or openings, 51, which are normally closed by gates or doors 52, 52. To operatively secure the ends of the grader bars 45 and 46 to the adjoining ends of the grader bars 47 and 48,1 provide a channel bar 53 which bridges the space above one of the doors 52 and rigidly connects the front grader bars 46 to the rear grader bar 4-8. A second channel bar 53 connects the front. grader bar 4:5 to the rear grader bar 67, thesaid channel bar 53 being cut to passthe channel bar 53, and the cut ends of said channels are connected together by an angle bar 53% During the operation of the machine, the grader bars, by their scraping blades, will remove the part of the surface operated upon and will direct the removed material toward the intersection of the grader bars, that is, toward the middle ofthe machine, and this material-will pass through the gate or door openings 51 to the rear grader bars, which will work over it and direct it toward the sides and rear of the machine in a familiar manner.

The inner ends of the front grader bars 45 and 4.6 are braced from the rear ends of the associated side frame members 17, 17, by means of brace bars 4 which are connected at their front ends to the bottom flange of said grader bars. Additional diagonally arranged brace bars 4% and 4% are provided, which connect said grader bars 45 and 46 to their associatedside frame members.

I provide meanswhereby saiddoors may be opened to-permitsuch materialto pass therethrough, and such means are as follows :Each door 52 (see Fig. 8) has fixed to it a pair of strap hangersfii', which are pivoted at their top ends upon a stub shaft 58 which is j ournaled in suitable bearings 59 on the rear face of the bridge piece channel bar (53 and 53 connecting the grader bars together. Secured to the bottom edge of each door on its front side is ablade 52 which forms a continuation of the scraping blade d5, 46 of the scraper and grader bars 45 and 46, heretofore described. 011 therear face of each door along its bottom edge is provided a bracket member 60, said bracket having at its ends, rearwardly extending ears 61, 61. The scraper blades upon the rear grader bars are of a height less than the scraper blades on the front grader bars, ex cept near the intersection of said grader bars, where blade parts of the same heightas the blades on the front grader bars, are fixed to said rear grader bars, and the junction of said blade parts on said rear grader bars provide shoulders 62 with which the outturned ends of the innermost cars 61 on the door brackets 60 engage. The other cars 61 of said brackets each engage against a top shoulder 62 provided by a bar or plate which is fixed to the brace bar 44, where said brace bar is attached to its associated front grader bar (see Fig. 7). The bracket plate 60 is provided between its ends with spaced cars 63, 63, and said cars 63, 63 provide bear- 111g for spring pressed plungers 64:. The plungers 64 are adapted to register with openings 65 provided in the adjacent fixed parts of the grader bar and its associated braces, the springs normally tending to hold said plungers out of engagement with said openings. The spaced ears 63 support one end of a link 66, the associated end of said link being wedge-shaped as shown at 67 in Fig. 7. A pin 63 extending through said car 63 and through a slot 66 in said link 66, supports the front end of said link in the proper position.

The rear endof said link 66, is connected to an arm 68 which is fixed to a shaft 69 j ournaled at one end in the channel bars (53, and at its other end in short channel irons 69, fixed to the under side ofth'e rear intermediate, transverse T-beam 20. To that end of the shaft 69 adjacent to the channel bars (53, 53 is secured an operating lever 70, It is apparent from the foregoing description that, movement. toward the rear is imparted to the lever 7 0, an upward movement will be imparted to the arm 68 and said movementwill act to retract the front end of said link 66 from the position shown in Fig. 7. As the wedge-shaped end. 67 of the link 66 moves rearwardly, the spring pressed plungers 64: will tend to move to ward each other, and'thus withdraw their outerends from the locking engagement in the holes 65 before mentioned. Further movement of said lever on the shaft 69 will impart an upward swinging movement to said doors about the stub shaft 58 on the channel bars (53,53 as an axis. Thus such material as has been directed toward the door openings, may now pass through said door openings, and be operated upon by the rearmost grader bars 17 and 18. As soon as this surplus material has passed through said openings, and for the purpose of again closing said doors so that they may act as a part of said front grader bars, a reverse movement is imparted to their operating lever 70, causing said doors to swing clownwardly about their axes provided by the stub shaft 58, into a closed position, with the ears 61 engaging the stop shoulders 62, 62 before described. As further movement is imparted to said links to move the door into its proper closed and alined position with respect to the said front grader bars, thewedge-shaped ends of said links will engage the inner ends of the spring pressed plungers 6st, and move the same outwardly against the action of their associated springs, into locking engagement with their locking opening 65 before described. It is apparent that either door may be opened independently of the other, or both may be opened at the same time, whichever is desired. The locking plungers 6% provide a means for securely locking said doors in their closed position, and to assist said doors in resisting the great pressure imparted thereto by the loose material which piles up before them.

Means are provided for raising and lowering the front and rear ends of the said machine as an entirety, independent of the relative positions of the wheels 21, and 22. Such means are as follows :The front ends of the threaded shafts 37 are connected together by a transverse bar 75. Rearwardly extending links 7 6, 76, operatively connect the said bar with the top ends of upright arms 77, 77. The arms 7 7 are rigidly fixed at their bottom ends upon a shaft 78, which is journaled in cars 79 formed on the bearing blocks which provide bearings for the adjoining ends of the shafts 27 (see Fig. 10). The top ends of said upright arms 77 are connected by a cross bar 78*. A screw threaded rod or shaft 7 9 has rotative bearing in said cross bar 7 8 and a hand wheel '79 is fixed to the rear end of said rod or shaft '79 for the purpose of imparting rotative movement thereto. The front end of said screw threaded rod 79 has screw threaded engagement in a swivel block 80 which is supported between the top ends of two stationary, upright arms 81, 81, which rise from the forward, transverse member 20 of the frame 15. lVhen movement is imparted, in either direction, to the hand Wheel 79", the screw threaded rod 7 9 will screw into or out of the block 80, as the case may be. When said wheel 79 is turned to the right, as shown in Figs. 1 and 10 said rod 7 9 will screw into the block and tend to move the transverse bar 7 8*- connecting the top ends of the arms 77 toward the rigid, upright arms 81, and through the links 76 will tend to move the transverse bar 75 before mentioned, forwardly. As said bar 75 is connected to the front ends of the threaded shafts 37 before mentioned, they will tend to swing the arms 27 and 3% forward, thus depressing the rear ends of the front wheel beams 30, and raising the front ends of the rear wheel beams 23. When an opposite or reverse movement is imparted to the hand wheel 79*, the wheel beams 23 and 30 will move in a reverse manner, so that the front and rear ends of the machine as a whole, may be tilted or raised to meet the various conditions of the roadway being operated upon.

A draft tongue 90 is provided by means of which, the machine is moved over the surface being operated upon, said draft tongue being adapted to be connected to the draw bar of a tractor engine. The draft tongue 90 is pivotally connected to the machine frame 15, so as to be capable of a limited swinging movement in a vertical plane as is common in draft tongues, but in addition-thereto, said tongue is capable of being moved in a horizontal direction, thus allowing what may be termed a universal movement within limited planes with respect to the machine frame proper. Fixed to the rear end of said tongue is a clevis block 91 whlch is pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane about a king bolt 92 supported in a position a short distance in advance of the front, transverse member 18 of the frame. This king bolt 92 may be supported in any suitable manner, but I prefer to'provide bearing for the bottom thereof by means of an extension 93 of a brace bar 93, which operatively connects the transverse member 18 and the front transverse member 20 of the machine frame together along the median line of the machine (see Fig. 3). Asemiannular strap 94 provides bearing for the top end of said king bolt 92, the rear ends of said semi-annular strap being adapted to engage the upright flange of the T-bar forming the front, transverse, frame member 18.

Diverging brace bars 95 operatively connect a bracket 95 on the transverse frame member 18 with the front ends of the wheel beams 30. These diverging brace bars 95 are pivotally connected with the post or standard 95 so as to permit of the independent movement of said wheel beams as before described. Strap braces 97 are fixed at their rear ends to the brace bar 93 at a point between the transverse bars 18 and 20 iddhil-aff of-the frame, the front ends of said strap braces 97 being fixed" to the semih'nnular strap 9% before mentioned. To'maliethis construction of brace bars capable ofresisting the pressure or stress applied to them, I secure to the top end of'the post 93* a: brace bar 98 preferably in the form of a channel bar. The rear end 'of'this brace bar. 98 is hired between the upright arms 81,81, before mentioned, which provide bearing for the block 80. This bracebar QSIaIso assists in holding the said arms 81, 81, in their upright pos1tion. 90 90 indicate rearwardly diverging draw bars which are secured at their front ends to the tongue 90 in the plane of the channel bars 40 before scribed. The outer, rear, ends arena draw bars 90 are each pivotally' connected to a block 99 in the manner and for the purpose presently to appear. Brace bars 90?, 90 are the tongue 90 proper.v

The blocks 99 are What may be properly called universal blocks; andthey f rcfixed to the front ends of longitudinally extending rods 100, 100, arranged nearand extending parallel to the wheel beams 23h1'1d'30 respectively. The rods 100 'are preferably made intwo parts or sections 101, and 101*, the section 101 terminating in a plane approximately below th'at of the rear, transverse member 20 of the frame. To the rear end of said rodsection 101 is fixed an interiorly threaded sleeve 102, the front end of the rod section 101 being threaded to en gage said sleeve. As shown, the rod section 101 has bearing in suitable openings provided in the upright flange of the transverse frame member 18, While at its rear end, said rod section extends through and has bean ing in the upright flange of the rear, transverse frame 'member19. The rod section 101 also has bearing in the ends of a transversely extending member 103 which isfixed to the rear grader bars 47 and 18 in any suitable manner. Fixed to each rod section 101*is a sprocket wheel 101. Sprocket chains 101are trained about said sprocket Wheels 101 and about sprocket Wheels 101. which are fixed upon a short shaft- 101 which shaft isarranged in a longitudinal plane below and to the rear of the threaded interposed between the draw bars 90 and shaft 79 before described. The shaft 101 has bearing at its front end in abearing bracket 101 fixed to the rear, transverse frame member 20. '(see 3), and has hearing at its rear end the/bar 103' before mentioned. Fixed f to the shaft 101 isa'crank arm'101 by meansofwhich rotative movement is imparted to theshaft 101 Onesha'ft section 101? has'a right hand thread while th'other section 101 has a left hand'thread. Thus upon rotative movement being'imparted to the shaft 1 r s ctions-a w ll is interred to the shaft sections 101 through the chains 101 and the sprocket wheels before mentioned. As said shafts are oppositely threaded, they will work into the associated sleeve 102 on the shaft section 101, and out of the associated sleeve on the other section 101, thereby imparting to one of said shaft sections 101, a. forward movement, and to the other shaft section, a rearward movement. Thus the tongue is given a horizontal movement which will swing the machine as a whole, upon the roadway, irrespective of the pulling strain imparted to it by the pulling tractor. This permits of alining the machine to the road in case the tractor is moving along at the side of the road and in front of the machine, the road machine may be caused to travel in the middle of the road being graded. This construction also assists in the turning of corners.

Each wing section 16 before mentioned, comprises a front channel bar 110 and a rear barlll, and interconnecting brace bars, as will presently appear. The channel bars 110 of each wing section are pivoted at their rear ends'to the front ends of the grader bars 45 and d6, and provide or form continuations of said grader bars. At the front and rear ends of the longitudinal members 17 of the frame, are provided upright posts 112, 113, respectively (see Figs. 1 and 2), said posts being, secured in 'any desirable manner to said frame at this point and being rigidly braced or connected to the adjacent parts of the machine frame and grader bars, by means of brace bars 114-. The front bar 110 of each wing section is made in the form of an edgewise-arranged channel bar with its flanges directed rearwardly, and a scraper blade 110 is fixed to the bottom edge of said bar (see Fig. 2). Therear bars 111 which comprise flat edgewisdarranged bars also have scraper blades 111 fixed along their bottom edges on theirforward sides and said bars 111 are pivotally connected to the rear ends of the grader bars 47 and 418 before mentioned. Suitable filler blocks are provided at the intersection of the members 110, 111 with the grader bars 15 to 48 inclusive.

Fixed to each of said bars 111 in any convenient manner and preferably on the rear side thereof, are upright posts 115,

115, said postsprojecting a suitable distance 7 above the top edge of said bars. A plurality of brace bars 116, each having an eye at its rear end which isadapted to be engaged upon an associated post 115, operatively connect said posts with the longitudinal member 17 of the machine frame preferably'toward the front end of said frame members. Brace bars 118, each having an'eye 118?v which is adapted to b enset are t res ,11 ha e ihett sete 116, operatively connect said rear bar 111 with the front bar 110 of the wing extension. The brace bars 116 and 118 are removably attached at their front ends to their associated frame member and wing section member so that they may be removed therefrom for a purpose soon to appear. The brace members 116 act to secure the bar 111 of the wing section against rearward bending under the action of their intended operation and the brace bars 118 maintain the front bar 110 of said section against rearward bending. A fiat bar 120 (see Figs. 1 and 12) which is piv-otally connected at one end to a fixed part of the machine frame 15 proper, looks or secures all of the brace bars 118 together and prevents them from buckling. Clips 118, 118 are fixed to the top of each brace bar 118, to prevent movement of said locking bar 120 upon the top edges of said brace bars 118, and to the under side of the said flat bars 120 are fixed clips 120", which are adapted ,to engage the top flange of an associated brace bar 118. Eccentrics 120 (see Fig. 12) are fixed to the under side of the flat bars 120, and are adapted to assist the clips 120 in looking the bars 120 to the brace bars 118. The outer end of the fiat bar 120 is bent over to engage the outermost brace bar 118.

Links or brace bars 125 operatively connect the top of each post 112, 113 with the front and rear members 110 and 111 respectively, of the said wing sections 16. These bars act to maintain the wing sections in their proper positions relative to the frame 15, and said links have a plurality of holes in their top ends which may be brought to register with similar holes in the top end of the posts 112, and 113 so that said wing sections may be adjusted in height with respect to the grader bars 45 to 48 inclusive.

From the construction just described, it is apparent that the proper, required angle positions of the wing sections may be attained, with respect to the said grader bars, so that the proper contour of the road may be produced, such road being shown in cross section as an example in Fig. 13. The wing sections may be easily dismantled for the purpose of allowing the machine as a whole to be moved under small bridges having piers or abutments too close together to permit of the free and easy passage of the machine with the wings in their assembled form. To provide for this dismantlcment, the bars 120 are removed, as are the brace bars 118 and 116, and as may be the links 125. Thus the front and rear bars 110, 111 of said sections may be swung into an upright position, so as to allow for passage of the machine through narrow spaces, as in the case of the bridge, just mentioned.

A foot board 130 and a seat 131 are provided for the operator, said foot board and seat being conveniently located with respect to the operating cranks and levers of the machine.

The operation of my road machine and the various ways in which it may be used, will be apparent from the foregoing description. The machine as a whole, may be used to make a roadway with a cross section sub stantially like that shown'in Fig. 13, which is the preferred and usual section of a road. The outer inclined sides of the roadway are made by the wing sections, and the intermediate inclined sections meeting in the center of the road are made by the main body of the machine. 30

In making such a roadway, the machine is drawn by a tractor engine. The front grader bars, by their cutting edges, scrape over the road surface, removing the material which forms the inequalities of the orig- 5 inal cross section, and working the removed material over the road surface toward the middle of the machine from whence it passes through the gates in the front grader bars to the action of the rear grader bars, which again work it over the road from the middle toward the sides of the machine, just as in the case of my former roadmachine. Such material as trash, twigs, stones and the like, which cannot be worked into the roadway by the grader bars will be directed in the travel of the machine, beyond the limits of the road section, that is being made. The machine is worked over the roadway first in one direction and then in the other, until it is worked down to a uniform section throughout its length.

If it is desired to make the inclinations at the sides of the road less or greater than those shown in the section in Fig. 13. these may be varied by adjusting the elevation of the wing sections of the machine.

In case it is intended to make a road wider than the entire width of the machine as built (which in this case is preferably a total of 24 feet, 12 feet being the width of the body of the machine, and 6 feet the width of each of the wing sections) the wing sections are so adjusted that the machine may be drawn down one side of the road to form one half of the crown section, and then returned on the other side of the road to form the other half ofthecrown section, the sides of the road and the middle line of the road defining the line in which the ends of the wing sections travel in the two directions. The machine is drawn over the road in this way, until the road section is reduced to the proper conformation.

In somecases it may be desired to provide a gutter at the side of the'road bed. In this case, one wing section is adjusted in a position so that the plane of its grader bars is at an acute angle to the plane of the adjacent grader bars of the machine frame. It 117-9 mean will be apparent to those familiar with the art that, by rejason of the wing sections and their means of adjustment and of dismantle ment, the machine isadapted to make roads of various cross sections and of various widths. It will also be understood that the machine may not only be used to make new roads, but also to work over and reCIOWn old roads, as in the case of my former road machine.

lVhile in describing my invention, 1 have referred to many details of construction and mechanical arrangement of parts, it is to be understood that it is to be in no way limited thereto, except as may be pointed out in the appended claims I claim as my invention:

1. Ina road machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a pair offront grader bars which converge rearwardly from the sides toward the middle of said frame, movable gates located near the inner ends of said front grader bars, a pair of rear grader bars which diverge from the middle of the frame rearwardly toward its sides, and laterally extending wing sections secured to said frame, said wlng sections lncluding grader .its sides, and laterally extending wing sections secured to said frame, said wing sections including grader bars which form continuations of said front and rear grader bars. A

8. In a road machine, the combination of supporting frame, a pair of front grader bars having operating edges which converge rearwardly from the sides toward the middle of said frame, movable gates located near the inner ends of said front grader bars, a pair of rear grader bars which diverge from the middle of the frame rearwardly toward its sides, and laterally extending wing sections plvoted to said frame at its ends, said wing sections including grader bars which form continuations of said front and rear grader bars.

4. In a road machine, the combination of asupportlng frame, a pair of front grader bars having operating edges which converge ,rearwardly from the sides of the frame toward. the middle. thereof, movable gates loteaches ine satis ies pir t d, 12 an. fr m at its ends, said wing sections including grader bars which form continnations of said front and rear grader bars, said wing sections being capable of being dismantled to reduce the width of the machine as a whole.

5. In a road machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a pair of front grader bars having operating edges which converge rearwardly from the sides of the frame toward the middle thereof, movable gates lo- 'ated near the inner ends of said front grader bars, a pair of rear grader bars which di verge from the middle of said frame rearwardlv toward its sides, laterally extending wing sections pivoted to said frame at its ends, said wing sections including front and rear grader bars which, form continuations of said front and rear grader bars, brace members operatively connecting the said front and rear grader bars of said wing sections with each other, and connecting one of said bars with the said frame.

6. in a road machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a pair of front grader bars having operating edges which converge rearwardly from the sides of the frame toward the middle thereof, movable gates located near the inner ends of said front grader bars, a pair of rear grader bars which diverge from the middle of the frame rearwardly toward its sides, laterally extending wing sections pivoted to said frame at its ends, said wing sections including front and rear bars which form continuations of said front and rear grader bars, upright posts fixed to the roar bar of said wing sections, and brace bars removably secured to said upright posts and to the front grader bar of said wing sections and to said frame respectively. In a road nlachine, the combination of a supporting frame, a pair of front grader,- ha rs having operating edges which con verge rearwardly from the sides of the frame toward the middle thereof, movable gates located near the inner ends of said front grader bars, a pair of rear grader bars which diverge from the middle of the frame rearwardly toward its sides, laterally extending wing sections pivoted to said frame atit-s ends, said Wing sections including grader bars Which form continuations of said front and rear grader bars, standards rising from said main frame at the junction of said wing section grader bars and said front and rear grad r bars, and means adjustably supporting theouter ends of the grader bars of the wing sections from said upright standards.

8. In a road machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a pair of front grader bars having operating edges which convr rge rearwardly from the sides of the frame toward the middle thereOfQm Vable gates located ne r the inner ends of said frdiit grader bars, a pair of rear grader bars which diverge from the middle of the machine vrearwardly toward its sides, laterally extending wing sections pivoted to said frame at its ends, said wing sections including grader bars which form continuations of said front and rear grader bars, upright posts fixed to the ends of said frame, braces rigidly connecting the top ends of said upright posts with the machine frame proper, and links operatively connecting the top ends of said upright posts with the grader bars of said wing sections at points between their ends, said links and upright posts including means whereby the outer lateral edges of said wing sections may be adjusted vertically.

9. In a road machine, the combination of a main frame and grader members supported thereby, front and rear wheels located at each side of said main frame, and vertically swinging beams, one for each wheel, pivotally supported on said main frame, said front wheel frames each including a caster fork in which the associated front wheel is journaled, said caster forks being capable of a swinging movement about a vertical axis, and diverging brace bars fixed to the outer ends of the swinging beams and pivotally connected to the main frame, coaxial with the axes of said swinging beams.

10. In a road machine, the combination of a main frame and grader members supported thereby, front and rear wheels located at each side of said main frame, vertically swinging beams, one for each wheel, pivotally supported on said main frame, said front wheel beams each including a caster fork in which the associated front wheel is journaled, said caster forks being capable of a swinging movement about a vertical axis, a two part bar rigidly connecting the front ends of said front wheel beams together, and means permitting of a limited torsional movement between the parts of said bar connecting said front wheel beams.

11. In a road machine, provided with a grader bar having a gateway therein, a swinging gate adapted to close said gateway, means for locking said gate in its closed position to a fixed part of the road machine,an operating lever, and means 0p- 'eratively connecting said lever with said gate to open and close the same, said means acting in the initial part of the opening movement of said lever to unlock said gate from its locked position, and in the final part of the opening movement of said lever to swing said gate into its full open position.

12. In a road machine provided with a grader bar having a gateway therein, a gate adapted to swing about a horizontal axis, to open and close said gateway, means on one side of said gate providing shoulders which engage with the fixed parts of said grader bar, spring pressed plungers adapted for engagement in associated openings in the fixed part of said grader bar to lock said gate in its closed position, an operating lever, means operatively connecting said lever with said gate to open the same upon movement of said lever, said means permitting of said locking plungers being withdrawn from their locked engagement with the said openings in the fixed part of said grader bars.

13. In a road machine provided with a grader bar having a gateway therein, a gate adapted to open and close said gateway,

said gate being adapted to swing about a horizontal axis located in a plane above the top edge of said gate, spring pressed locking means carried by said gate along one edge thereof, said locking means coacting with associated openings formed in the fixed part of said grader bars, an operating lever having an operating arm, a link connecting said arm with said gate and being capable of an initial and of a final movement, said link in its initial movement acting to release said automatic locking means and in its final movement, to swing said gate about it horizontal axis to open said gateway.

14,111 a road machine provided with a grader bar having a gateway therein, a gate adapted to open and close said gateway, said gate being capable of a swinging movement on a horizontal axis located in a plane above the top of said gate, a bracket plate fixed to the bottom edge of said gate on its rear side, said bracket plate having ears at its ends which engage with fixed parts of the grader bar to limit the closing movement of said gate with reference to said gateway, a pair of spring pressed plungers carried by said bracket adapted to engage in associated openings in said grader bars, adjacent said bracket ears, a lever, a link operatively connected at one end to said lever and at its other end to said bracket, said link in its operation being capable of an initial and of a final movement, said link in its initial movement permitting the actuation of said automatic locking meansto unlock said gate from said grader bars, and in its final movement tendingto'swing said gate about its horizontal axis to open said gateway.

15. In a road machine provided with a grader bar having a gateway therein, a gate adapted to open and close said gateway, said gate being capable of a swinging movement on a horizontal axis, located in a plane above the top of said gate, a bracket plate fixed to the bottom edge of said gate on its rear side, said bracket plate having earsat its ends which engage with fixed parts of the grader bars to limit the closing movement of said gate with reference to said gateway, a

has

pair of spring pressed plungers carried by said bracket and adapted to engage in associated openings in said grader bar, said spring pressed plungers normally tending to be withdrawn from their associated locking openings, a lever, a link operatively connecting said lever with said bracket, said link engaging between the adjoining ends of said spring pressed plungers to hold said plungers in looking engagement with their associated locking openings.

16. In a road 7 machine in combination with a main frame, and grader members supported by said-main frame, front and rear wheels, one for each side of said frame, vertically swinging beams,one foreach wheel, in which the associated wheel is journaled, a rock shaft for each wheel beam, supported by said frame, a rock arm secured to each rock shaft, mechanism intermediate said rock arm and the associated wheel beam adapted to impart a vertical swinging movement to said beam, operating arms secured to each of said shafts, a block pivotally connected toeach of said operating arms, an operating shaftfor each pair of side wheels, said shaft having right and left screw threaded eI1- gagement with the pair of said 'pivotally connected blocks associated with a front and a rear wheel beam on one side of said machine frame, and means connecting the wheel end of the beamson one side of said main frame with the wheel end of the beams on the other side of said main frame.

17. In a road machine in combination with a main frame, and grader members supported by said main frame, front and rear wheels, one for each side of said frame, vertically swinging beams. one for each wheel, in which the associated wheel is journaled, a rock shaft foreach wheel beam supported by said frame,arock arm secured to each rock shaft, mechanism intermediate said rock arm and the associated wheel beam adapted to impart a vertical swinging movement to said beam, operating arms secured to each of said shafts, a block pivotally connected to each of said operating arms, an operating shaft for each pair of side wheels, said shaft having right and left screw thread'ed engagement with the pair of said pivotally connected blocks associated with a front and a rear wheel beam on one side of said machine frame, and means connecting the wheel end of the beams on one side of said main frame with the wheel end of the beams on the otherside of said main frame, said means connecting the wheel ends of said beams permitting of a limited independent, vertical swinging movement between the wheel beams which they connect. 1

18."In a road machine in combinatio with a main frame, and grader members supported by said mainframe, front and rear wheels, one for each side of said frame,

vertically swingingbeams, one for each wheel,

in which the associated wheel is journaled, a rock shaft for each wheel beam, supported by said frame, a rock arm secured to each rock shaft, mechanism intermediate said rock arm and the associated wheel beam, adapted to impart a vertically swinging movement to said beam, operating arms secured to each of said shafts, a block pivotally connected to each of said operating arms, a pair of operating shafts, one for each pair of wheels on one side of said machine frame, said shafts having right and left screw threaded engagement with the pair of said pivotally connected blocks associated with a front and rear wheel beam, operating means for moving said pair of screw threaded shafts forwardly or rearwardly, simultaneously, and means connecting the wheel end of the beams on one side of said frame with the wheel end of the beams on the other side of said machine frame.

19. In a road machine in combination with a main frame, and grader members supported by said main frame, front and rear wheels, one for each side of said frame, vertically swinging beams, one for each wheel, in which the associated wheel is journaled. a rock shaft for each wheel beam, supported by said frame, a rock arm secured to each rock shaft, mechanism intermediate said rock arm and the associated wheel beam adapted to impart a vertically swinging movement to said beam, operating arms secured to each of said shafts, a block pivotally connected to each of said operating arms, a pair of operating shafts, one for each pair of wheels on one side of said machine frame, said shafts having right and left screw threaded engagement with the pair of said pivotally connected blocks associated with a front and a rear wheel beam, a hand wheel shaft arranged between said rightand left hand threaded operating shafts, and means intermediate one end of said pair of operating shafts and said hand wheel shaft, and adapted to impart rotative movement to said wheel beam shafts simultaneously and in the same direction, to raise and lower said front and rear wheels in pairs respectively.

20. In a road machine in combination with a main frame, and grader members supported by said main frame, front and rear wheels, one for each side of said frame, vertically swinging beams, one for each wheel, in which the associated wheel is journaled, a rock shaft for each wheel beam supported by said frame, a rock arm secured to each rock shaft, mechanism intermediate said. rock arm and the associated wheel beam adapted to impart a vertically swinging movement to said beams, operating arms secured to each of said shafts, a block pivotally conmed 0 e ch of said operating arms, a a.

ota'lly connected to each pair of operating shafts, one for each pair of side wheels, on one side of said machine frame, said shafts having right and left screw threaded engagement with the pair of said pivotally connected blocks associated with a front nd a rear wheel beam, 21 bar connecting one end of said pair of right and left screw threaded shafts, and means supported on said machine frame and adapted to engage said bar connecting said right and left screw threaded shafts, to impart a longitudinal movement to said pair of screw threaded shafts simultaneously to rotate said wheel beam shafts in the same direction.

21. In a road machine in combination with a main frame, and grader members supported by said main frame, front and rear wheels, one for each side of said frame, vertically swinging beams, one for each wheel in which the associated wheel is journaled, a rock shaft for each wheel beam supported by said frame, a rock arm secured to each rock shaft, mechanism intermediate said rock arm and the associated wheel beam adapted to impart a vertically swinging movement to said beams, operating arms secured to each of said shafts, a block pivotally connected to each of said operating arms, a pair of operating shafts, one for each pair of side wheels on one side of said main frame, said shafts having right and left screw threaded engagement with the pair of said pivotally connected blocks associated with a front and a rear wheel beam, a bar operatively connecting the front end of said pair of right and left screw threaded shafts, a hand wheel shaft arranged intermediate said pair of last mentioned operating shafts, and means operatively connecting said bar with said hand wheel shaft, transposing the rotative movement of said hand wheel shaft into an endwise movement of said pair of operating shafts.

22. In a road machine, in combination with a main frame, and grader members supported by said main frame, front and rear wheels, one for each side of said frame, vertically swinging beams, one for each wheel in which the associated wheel is journaled, a rock shaft for each wheel beam supported by said frame, a rock arm secured to each rock shaft, mechanism intermediate said rock arm and the associated wheel beam adapted to impart a vertically swinging movement to said beams, operating arms secured to-each of said shafts, a block pivof said operating arms, a pair of operating shafts, one for each pair of side wheels on one side of said machine frame, said shafts havingright "and left screw threaded engagement with the pair of said pivotally connected blocks asso- -ciated with a'front and a rear wheel beam,

a bar operativ'elyconnectingthe front end of said pairof right and left screw threaded shafts, a hand wheel shaft arranged in= termediate said lastmentioned shafts, an upright post into which said hand wheel has screw threaded engagement, a cross bar rotatively mounted on, but incapable of lengthwise movement on said hand wheel shaft, andlinks connecting the bar joining the front endsof said pair of right and left screw threaded shafts withsaid cross bar on said hand wheel shaft;

23. In a road machine, in combination with a main frame, a'draft tongue pi'vot'ally connected thereto, means providing a universal joint connection between said tongue and said machine frame, and means operated from adjacent the rear end ofsaidmachine to impart ahorizontal swinging movement within; limited planes to said draft tongue. V V

24. In a road machine, in combination with a main frame, a draft tongue, a uni versal block operatively connecting said draft tongue with said main frame, a laterally extending draw bar connected to said draft tongue, a longitudinally extending shaft operatively connected at one end with saiddraw bar, said shaft being made in sec tions, one section of which is rotatable, and one section of which is longitudinally movable, means operatively connecting said shaft sections and transposing the rotative movement of one shaft section into alongitudinal movement of the other section, and means for rotating said. rotative shaft section. 7 s I 25. In a road machine in combination with a'main frame, a draft tongue, a universal block operatively connecting said draft tongue with said machine frame, laterally extending draw bars connected to said draft tongue, longitudinally extending sectional shafts operatively connectediat one end with said draw bars, one section of each of said shafts being a rotatable section, and the other section of said shaft being a longitudinally movable section, means operatively connecting said shaft sections'and transposing the rotative movement of one shaft section into a longitudinalmovement of an associated shaft section, sprocket wheels on said rotatable shaft sections, a short shaft located intermediate said longitudinal shafts, sprocket wheelson said short shaft and operatively connected to the sprockets on said rotatable shaft sections, and means for imparting a rotative movement to said short shaft; 7 it 7 26. In a road machine provided with front and rear grader bars, having a gateway between them, a gate adapted to open and close said gateway, scraper blades fixedto said front and rear grader bars and tosaid gate respectively, the. blade. on said rear naaaiea grader bar havingapart at that end" near the gateway of a height greater than that of the other part of said blade on said rear grader bars, the junction of said scraper blade parts on said rear grader bar forming a stop shoulder to limit the closing movement of said gate relative to said gateway.

27. In a road machine provided with front and rear grader bars having a gateway between them, a gate adapted to open and close said gateway, scraper blades fixed to said front and rear grader bars, and to said gate respectively, the blade on said rear grader bar having a part at that end near the gateway which is higher than that of the other part of said blade on said rear grader bar, the exposed end part of said hi her grader bar forming a stop shoulder to limit the closing movement of said gate relative to said gateway.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 5th day of March, A. D. 1917.

JOHN HENRY KELLER.

Witnesses:

GEO. D. Kosna, MARIE COLLINS.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the (commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

